Genetic Biomarkers of Health-Related Quality of Life in Pediatric Asthma

ObjectivesTo determine the relationship between single nucleotide polymorphisms in candidate genes associated with multiple asthma phenotypes and health-related quality of life (HRQOL).Study designA cross-sectional study was conducted at a pediatric hospital in 275 school-aged children diagnosed with asthma and their caregivers. Genomic DNA was obtained from children, and caregivers completed a measure of their child's HRQOL. Analysis of variance was used to investigate the association between single nucleotide polymorphisms and HRQOL.ResultsChildren homozygous for the major variant at IL-4RA rs 1805010 had significantly better HRQOL than their counterparts. Significant associations with pulmonary function were not observed.ConclusionsGenes associated with asthma phenotype can be associated with HRQOL at least partly independent of pulmonary function.